Competency-Based Interviewing Skills

1. Competency-Based Interviewing Skills “Past, demonstrated behavior is the best indicator of future performance”

2. Workshop Objectives • Develop an understanding of the competency-based Human Resources system. • Learn the key skills of preparing for an interview • Have an opportunity to practice competency based-interviewing questions. • Appreciate the importance of fairness and objectivity in selection.

3. What are Values & Competencies? • Values are shared principles and beliefs that underpin the Organisation’s work and guide actions and behaviors of staff. • Competencies are skills, attributes and behaviors directly related to successful job performance. • Core and managerial competencies: not specific to any occupation. • Functional (or technical) competencies: related to the specific requirements for a particular occupation or position.

4. Competency Framework (SAMPLE)

5. Why are Competencies Important? Defining Organizational competencies are important both for organisations and staff. • Competencies are forward-looking; they describe skills and attributes that staff and managers need to build human capital and meet future challenges. • Competencies help organisations clarify expectations and define future development needs.

6. The Integrated Competency-Based HR System UN HR System Staff Development Performance Management Succession Planning Recruitment Competencies

7. Why do Organisations Use Competency-Based Interviewing? • Predictors of performance: • Work samples .54 • Structured Competency-based Interview .51 • Intellectual capacity tests .51 • Trial period .44 • Unstructured interviews .38 • Assessment Centres* .37 • References .26 • Personality questionnaires .26 • Years of education .10 • Graphology .02

8. Preparing for an Interview • Deciding on what jobs to apply for: • Do I meet the qualifications and experience requirements? • Am I ready to apply now? • Have I considered all the implications should I be given the position? • Will I actually take the job if given it? • Is my resume/CV or P-11 tailored for the specific position? • Have I taken a copy of the vacancy announcement? • What do I know about this Organisation? • What do I know about this particular job?

9. Now – I Have Been Given an Interview – What Next? • Be flexible and non-demanding with timing. • Reference the vacancy announcement and look at the competencies • Find out as much as you can about the organisation including mandate, publications, organigram, strategic directions, scandals etc. • Try to find out why the position is vacant • If a face-to-face, know what outfit you are going to wear and err on the side of conservative. • If a telephone (or skype/VTC) make sure you are in a private location and all equipment is working.

10. Preparing for CBI Questions • CBI Questions ask about past professional experiences that can demonstrate the candidate is competent. • The theory is that if you can demonstrate that you have done it in the past, chances are that, you will be able to do it in the future. • When assessing the candidates responses, panels will ascertain the depth and complexity of the responses given by candidates. • CBI is sometimes referred to as behavioral or situational interviewing.

11. The CAR (L) Principle • Context: You will be expected to give an overview of the situation: what the situation was about, when it was, how you first got involved, what were the key events and the time frame. • Actions: You will be expected to cover significant events, specific instances, that were clearly attributable to you rather than the team • Results: What was the outcome, impact or results of your actions: You may be asked questions such as how did it turn out? What was the final result? • (L)earning: What learning did you take away from this experience.

12. Things to Avoid When Being Interviewed • Answering in the hypothetical. • Talking about “we”, rather talk in the “I”. • Espousing theories or values (“waffling on”). • Blanket generalizations. • Making statements about the future. • Interrupting the panel. • Asking questions about benefits and entitlements

13. Sample Questions (# 1 - Teamwork) • Tell me about the last time you were part of a successful team. • What made the team successful? • What was your role in the team? • How did you deal with disagreements in the team? • What was the impact or the achievements of the team?

14. Sample Questions (# 3 - Planning) • Tell me about the last time you had to organize or plan a major event • What was the nature of the event? • What was your role in organizing it? • How did you plan the sequence of what needed to be done? • How did the event turn out? • Reflecting back on that experience, what would you have done differently next time?

15. Sample Questions (# 3 - Values) • What are the three values that are most important to you? • How do these values translate into you daily work/study? • Can you give me a specific example when you felt one of your values was compromised. • What did you do about the situation? • What was the result?

16. Questions